Maritime Injuries

Bellingham Maritime Injury Attorneys

If you were injured while serving your employer’s vessel or while working on a shore or harbor as a longshoreman, harbor worker, fisherman, crabber, longliner, fish processor, factory trawler, gill netter, seiner, dragger or deckhand you have rights under maritime and admiralty laws. Commercial maritime workers, often called seamen, take on a high risk for injury on the job; serious maritime accidents include loss of limbs or drowning due to ship sinkings. You should not be left suffering because of injuries caused by your employer; as dedicated maritime injury lawyers we seek justice on your behalf through tough negotiations and a maritime injury lawsuit if necessary.

If you are struggling with an injury from a maritime accident, it can be difficult to obtain the right medical treatment and fight for the benefits and damages you deserve. The experienced maritime accident lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. are here to make Washington State, Alaska, California and Oregon maritime laws work for you and get you back to work! Our expert maritime accident attorneys handle each step of the pre-trial and trial process from interviewing and retaining expert witnesses, to filing the complaint and pre-trial litigation on behalf of the plaintiff. Our firm offers FREE case evaluations, home and hospital visits, and no attorney fees unless you recover damages. Do not delay, contact us today! There is a statute of limitations on filing your injury claim.

Common maritime accidents involve:

Unseaworthy vessels

Vessel sinkings

Boating accidents

Jones Act

The Jones Act is federal legislation that protects seamen, crew members and other workers injured at sea. If you or a loved was injured while working at or by the sea, you may be entitled to recover damages under the Jones Act. Damages may include compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, lost earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and medical expenses.

Can a Wrongful Death Action be filed under the Jones Act?

In the tragic event of a wrongful death there are protections provided under the Jones Act. The person considered the personal representative of a seaman / crew member who died on shore or within three nautical miles from shore, may bring a wrongful death claim under the Jones Act. This representative is typically representing the surviving widow or husband and children. In the absence of these relationships then the employee’s parents, siblings, or others dependent on the seaman may be represented

Unseaworthiness

An employer has a duty to provide a seaworthy and reasonably fit vessel for their employees.

Maintenance and Cure

In most cases injured seamen are entitled to maintenance and cure benefits. This means that seamen have the right to choose a doctor and receive compensation for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses associated with their injury. Seamen are also entitled to collect wages through the end of their employment contract and then a basic living allowance until they have reached maximum medical improvement. An employer who refuses to provide maintenance and cure benefits may risk a punitive damages lawsuit in certain states.

Experience Matters

Since 1979, the maritime injury attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. have been advocating for victims who were seriously injured or died as a result of maritime accidents that occurred on commercial fishing vessels, crab boats, off-shore barges, docks, and other maritime locations. Maritime injury laws are specific and can be quite complicated; we will help you identify whether you have a case and fight for the compensation you deserve.

How do I know whether I should pursue a maritime injury claim?

We believe your well being and the well being of your family is more important than money or legal action. However, if you or a loved one has suffered an injury at sea, you may be entitled to damages to help compensate for your losses.

Do I really need to hire an attorney or should I handle my own maritime injury claim?

A maritime injury attorney will help you determine whether or not you have a viable maritime injury claim. Tario & Associates, P.S. has vast experience fighting for injured maritime workers by working with highly qualified marine safety investigators, naval experts, board-certified medical personnel and health care providers, injury experts, physical capacities experts, and job experts. We are often able to settle injury cases for five to twenty times the amount a person would receive by fighting on their own.

How much do I have to pay to pursue a claim?

There are no upfront costs or fees paid by our clients to pursue a maritime accident claim. We provide representation on a contingency fee basis for all personal injury cases. While you will not incur any attorney fees if you do not win your case, Washington State law requires clients to reimburse the law firm for out-of-pocket expenses. Our firm advances out-of-pocket costs for our injury clients and does not require payment of any of these costs up front. When cases are concluded with a monetary recovery, our firm is repaid out of the recovery for the out-of-pocket costs we have advanced.